


Layers of an alpha

by Original_Cypher



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-04
Updated: 2013-05-04
Packaged: 2017-12-10 09:08:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/784311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Original_Cypher/pseuds/Original_Cypher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who knew Derek wearing <i>more</i> clothes than usual would set up such a chain reaction within the pack?</p><p>**</p><p>“I think Derek is hiding something.” Scott mused that night as he slid down against the foot of Stiles bed and handed his best friend a controller.<br/>Stiles gave him a sidelong glance. “As opposed to... the one day of the year he's not?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Layers of an alpha

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this story almost completed in my things for a while. I thought I'd post it.

“Hey. You noticed Derek's worn clothes when working out lately?” Isaac asked as he caught up with Scott on the parking lot. The brunette slowed down to match his pace and gave him a look for his unusual conversation starter. “I mean, _more_ clothes. Like, shirts and stuff.”

Scott made a face. “No? Because I don't usually spend my time checking out the guy. Why?”

The blond looked perturbed. “I don't know. He's... He used to go shirtless, you know? And its not like its getting colder, we're coming up on _June_.” Scott shook his head. He could pick up on Isaac's worry, he just didn't get why he was. “It happened around the time he changed scents.”

“You noticed that, too?!” Scott exclaimed. Okay, now his interest was piqued. He'd thought it was just him getting used to his abilities and picking up subtleties in the alpha's scent, but if Isaac had felt a specific shift... even if it seemed to coincide in timing with something as weird as discovering the concept of modesty...

“Yeah!” Isaac said. “I asked him about it. He said it didn't mean anything.”

“Hm. Well, I don't know what to tell you, dude.”

Scott kept turning the idea over in his head that afternoon. Derek had a tendency to switch 'It doesn't mean anything.' or 'It's nothing.' for 'I don't want to talk about it.'.

 

@@@

 

“I think Derek is hiding something.” Scott mused that night as he slid down against the foot of Stiles bed and handed his best friend a controller.

Stiles gave him a sidelong glance. “As opposed to... the one day of the year he's not?”

“No. Dude. Look. He's changed scents.”

That had Stiles do a double take. “He has? Man, that's...” He blinked owlishly. “Huh. Wait, changed how?”

Scott shrugged. “I don't know. It's like. It's still him but... slightly altered. Spicier or something? Like Derek 2.0.”

Stiles smirked faintly. “You spend years by my side being a total tech retard and you start picking up geek speak around _Danny_? Dude, if I didn't love you so much, I'd be jealous.”

Scott shoved him good naturadely and started the game. “Maybe he's sick,” he hypothesized after a beat.

Stiles snorted. “Dude. You saw him yesterday. Did he look sick to you? He's fine.”

Scott tried to recall anything particular about the pack meeting of the previous night. Derek had offered to spring for pizza and let Stiles and Isaac wrestle him for the menu so they could order. Stiles had won when Derek had stuck out an innocent leg that tripped his beta, much for the entertainment of everyone. No, he hadn't seemed off his game. “But-... Alright. You're bi. Right?”

Stiles squinted at him, unimpressed. “O-kay... Weird transition, but I'll bite.”

“Something Isaac said. You might have noticed. I just can't remember. He says Derek's hasn't gone shirtless around in... like, a while. Since he changed scents.”

Stiles thought for a moment, bringing up a handfull of M&M's to his mouth and munching on them pensively. “That's weird, maybe.” He shrugged. “I mean, he's been wearing stuff around me, but how would I know? I don't train with you guys. Isn't that, like, when he goes all The Full Moon-ty?” he smirked to himself at his pun. “Looks pretty much the same to me. Wifebeaters. Shirts. Henleys. Basic neutral colors. Leather overlay. Switch. Repeat.”

“Right.” Scott dug his hand in the offered candy pack. “Isaac thinks he's hiding something. Like physically.”

Stiles scratched his belly absently. “Like what?”

“I dunno, a wound? A... I just don't know.”

“What? So, Derek's Dumbledore now? Why would he hide something from us?” More M&M's were being scooped up.

Scott blinked at him. “Huh?”

“Wearing a glove to hide his sick hand.” Stiles elaborated, wondering, not for the first time, if his best friend ever read.

Scott gave him a look. “That's star wars, Stiles.”

Stiles stared blankly for a moment, then gave up. “Whatever, dude. Are we playing or what?” he huffed, flopping back against his bed. Scott kept looking at him funny for a while, Stiles ducked an eyebrow at him. “Look, I really think this is nothing man, but if you want I'll... I'll keep an eye out, see if the lack of alpha skin is noteworthy. Or something. Have you tried asking him about it?”

“Isaac did. Derek said it's nothing.”

“There you go.”

Scott huffed. “Yeah, because he usually means what he says.”

“Oh my god, you're right!” Stiles flailed up, hands grabbing at Scott's arm. “He's totally dying! Let's go strip him naked and Febreze him to death before he keels over!”

“You're a shitty friend.” Scott shoved him.

“No, wait. If we Febreze him to death, he's still dead. We need a new plan. We need to call for back up!”

Scott grabbed Stiles and tackled him to the floor as the human made a show of panicking and lunging for his phone. “Fine! Fine! Are we playing or what?”

"Don't quote me to me!"

 

@@@

 

“Do you...  _really_  want your bedroom to be next to the bathroom?” Derek deadpanned at Stiles.

They were currently in the middle of renovating the Hale house. Every member of the pack, which to the surprise of some, included the humans – even Lydia and Danny –, got a room they could stay in. The house – the mansion, really – used to be the home for an entire family, Derek had argued that while he wouldn't ask of anyone to move in with him, they were free to do so and could stay whenever they wanted. They'd worked on Isaac and Derek's rooms first, because those two actually resided there. Isaac had kept his father's house for now but couldn't get any sleep in it, for obvious reasons. Sometimes, Stiles wondered how the alpha would still want to live in the mansion, but Derek has said he'd rather hold on to all the happiness he'd known here rather than the tragedy of it. And it was all he had left of his family. Stiles could relate, in a way. He often sat by the window on the mint green armchair his dad wouldn't touch anymore and looked out to the backyard the way his mom used to. But his mom and passed in peace in his house. She hadn't been brutally murdered by a psycho bitch.

Stiles glanced between Derek and the floor plan a few times. “I... No?” He shrugged. “Since it's gonna be an awesome and _huge_ bathroom. With a steam shower and a bathtub and all the guilty pleasures you could want... why shouldn't I be as close to it as possible to have a chance to race your betas for it?”

“Erica sings in the shower.” Boyd supplied from where he was clearly done napping on another couch.

“So-?...oh.” Stiles knew Derek could tell instantly when the memory of their memorable karaoke outing came back to him by the smirk that bloomed on the werewolf's face. “Uh. So...” he frowned at the floor plan again. “Here's Isaac's, that's Jackson's, and-...”

“How about here?” Derek tapped his pencil on a square next to the one marked with his name.

“Wh-... But... Wasn't that it was gonna be your study or something? Or 'home office' or whatever Erica called it?”

“Stiles.” Derek sighed. “You've seen my room. I could park my car in there. An yours. I don't need...” Stiles bowed his head. Derek was used to live admist the rubble, homeless and squatting empty warehouses or train cars. Of course his bedroom alone would be terrifyingly large. “Two is too much.” He stated. “I'm just saying, if you want it, it's yours. It's big, and you can store all the books Deaton gave you here instead of under your bed at home.”

Stiles snorted. “Yeah! I'd love that. I'm pretty sure my dad thinks I'm into medieval engraved porn now, given most of those are leatherbound and shit. You'd think they'd have more recent editions.”

Derek shook his head. “And you'll be at the corner of the house.”

“Meaning my room's cold in the winter?” Stiles teased, ignoring Derek's glare in favor of nodding to Scott and Erica as they walked in. “Okay, I get it, no noise pollution. Besides yours, but... I expect you'll be a good neighbor. I'm in.”

“We gotta get to soundproofing the whole thing anyway.” Derek said, scribbling down 'Stiles + extra shelves' on the plan.

“Guys.” Scott said, sounding formal.

Stiles took in the way his two friends were standing stiff in front of them and exchanged a puzzled look with Derek. Boyd had apparently picked up on the weirdness and sat up. Isaac jogged down from the top floor. “Oh, good. I was just gonna call you.” he told Scott.

“Something wrong?” Derek asked, pushing off the couch.

Stiles pondered. He knew Derek wasn't standing up to appear threatening. However, he wouldn't let his betas tower over him in what looked like to be some kind of 'this is important dude!' moment. Stiles sighed and got up as well, hoping whatever mortal danger they were in now could be averted before five, he'd promised his dad to pick up groceries on his way back home.

“Could you lift up your shirts please?” Erica asked, Boyd ducked an eyebrow at her but said nothing.

Stiles stared in surprise for about a second, then glared at his best friend. “Seriously, dude? That again? And... _why me?!_ ”

Derek glanced at him. “Again?”

“Yeah. Scott here came to me a couple of days ago. He and Isaac and... apparently Erica and possibly Boyd... are worried.” he staged whispered. “I'm not sure if they're worried about them or you, but...” he shrugged, regaining his normal voice. “y'got 'em thinkin' yer hiddin' something 'cause ya ain't struttin 'round like a stripper no more.”

Boyd made a noise. Derek's face twisted between his surprise at the news and the amusement he would deny experiencing at Stiles' southern drawl.

Erica huffed and ignored her blush when Scott chuckled at Stiles' antics. “It's true!”

“I'm fine.” Derek said flatly. “There is no need for your concern.”

“Prove it. Take off your shirt.”

“Scott, if you want to see me naked, that's not the-...”

“Just your shirt.” Scott glared amicably at Derek's tease. “Just testing a theory.”

Derek huffed and Stiles shuffled awkwardly as he realized Derek was about to give in. “Want some music?” he quipped. Honestly, he couldn't help himself. The more uncomfortable, the less filters.

Derek gave him a simple reassuring look and lifted one side of his henley. It wasn't like they both knew the charade was over, he might as well show them what they were looking for. There it was, the twisted and twirling brown lines of the mark, in the groove of the v of his lower abdomen, disappearing under his jeans. Derek sighed as his beta took it in, and Stiles looked anywhere but at it. He raised his eyebrows at Scott. “Should I kick off my pants, too? Did you want to see it all or is that good enough for you?”

“New ink?” Scott challenged instead of answering.

“Something like that.”

“You know, that's interesting.” he said, smirking. “Because the other night I saw something.” He gestured towards Stiles. “We were talking and I mentioned you possibly hiding something. You know what Stiles did? Scratched this very spot.”

Stiles startled. He had? “Okay, so... I knew. So what? I've kept your secrets before, why not Derek's?”

“No, no, no... See.” Isaac stepped in, smirking in a way that made Stiles even more wary. “We could go with that, sure. We _could_. But it's not Derek who's been late in or early out of the locker rooms lately.”

Stiles cringed inwardly. Erica grinned. “Your turn. Take it off.”

He took another step back, wrapping his arms around his stomach. “When did we go from lift to take off?!”

Boyd lifted a hand. “I'm with Stiles, here.”

Erica stuck out her tongue at her boyfriend. “Fine. _Lift_.”

“I'm not-... Look, I don't strip for people.” It was only half a cover. He really didn't feel comfortable with this many eyes on him.

Erica sighed. “We're not people. We're pack.”

Stiles bit his lower lip. “Stiles. It's okay.” Derek said softly. “It's out anyway.” Steeling himself, Stiles lifted up his t-shirt. As expected, the same mark was found in the hollow of his own hip. Exact replica as Derek's, on same side, brown lines danced around each other on Stiles' skin.

“This isn't a tattoo.“ Isaac remarked.

“Uh, dude.”

“No, I mean, look.” Stiles shrunk away when he leaned in, letting his shirt fall back. Isaac gestured at his stomach while Derek stepped closer protectively. “It's not ink under the skin. It's the actual skin that's gone chocolate brown.”

“Care to explain?” Scott asked.

“No.” Derek said flatly.

“Look guys. Its nothing.”

“Its magic.” Derek cut in, and glanced at Stiles. “What? It is.” He looked at his betas. “That's all you get.”

“Right.” Stiles said. “Magic. And private.”

“Oh, that much we got. What happened?” Isaac pushed.

“You got a weird definition of private.” Stiles glared. He shifted feet, shuffled closer to Derek and they exchanged a look. Derek sighed. Stiles nodded, defeated. Fine. Out with it.

“It's incomplete. It failed.” Derek spat out, bitter. “We wanted t-... We tried do something to strengthen the pack bonds. To protect the pack, in case we're attacked again.”

“And?”

“It's not complete. It didn't work.” Derek repeated angrily, and Stiles looked away, dejected, missing the look of concern and regret the alpha gave him.

“Wait, wait... What _is_ this?!” Erica gestures at Derek's stomach. “Why do you smell different?! Why are you look at Stiles like-...” She interrupted herself. “Oh, wow. Sorry.”

“What's happening?” Scott asked, looking lost. If Stiles didn't feel like crawling in a hole and dying, he'd find it funny that the guy that set his humiliation in motion was now struggling to keep up.

Derek shifted even closer, arms crossed, knuckles casually Stiles' arm for support. Stiles shivered and hugged himself, feeling worse at the gesture but unable to not take it. He felt like a failure. And exposed. Like a failure on display. Not good enough.

Isaac whistled quietly. “ _Riight_.” he drawled. “So let me guess. This... These marks. They mean 'mates'.”

“What?!” Scott chocked out.

“They would.” Derek corrected. If they weren't just outlines, but filled.

“That's right. Its incomplete.” Isaac continued. “You said... A pack is stronger with number. And not just betas. Humans too. Somehow, bonds between humans and wolves create powerful magic.”

Derek said “Yes.” and Stiles nodded. Deaton had explained that to all of them when he told Lydia and Danny the risks and stakes of their further involvement in the pack. It was what Lupercalia was all about.

“So you got pack married?!” Scott squeaked.

Stiles shrugged, suddenly fed up with all of it. He wanted to forget all about it. Be rid of the mark he saw everyday in the shower that reminded him that he couldn't even give away his magic at will to protect his own. His pack.

Scott marched on Derek, glowering. “Was this your idea?! Stiles is my fr-...”

“Wow, hey!!” Stiles stepped in, catching on with Scott's thinking. He slipped between him and Derek, arm barring protectively his alpha's chest. “Our decision, dude. Derek didn't force me into anything. It was... kinda my idea.” He swallowed as he watched Scott relax but still eye Derek suspiciously. “Maybe now you get why our first instinct was not to tell you.”

“Wait a minute.” Isaac said, eying Stiles' and Derek's posture critically. “This is real. It's not just for show, they're... Wow. Um, congrats.”

“What?” Scott looked closer at Stiles, trying to puzzle out Isaac's statement while Erica giggled quietly. Derek glared at her.

“Stiles.” Derek said softly, and Scott seemed less troubled by Stiles' wariness than the way the alpha deferred to him.

“Derek and I have been together for a few months.” Stiles blurted out quickly, judging better to rip off the bandage fast. Less time to chicken out, too. Scott stumbled back, winded. He didn't miss the way that Stiles and Derek went from standing so close to each other that they were touching to standing _together,_ awaiting judgment. It was a subtle shift, but an unmissable one. Like people falling into step. “I was mostly late changing because of hickeys.” Stiles admitted a touch of color spreading high on his cheeks. “Because unlike some of us, I don't _heal_ instantaneously.” he accused, and Derek tried to look innocent while fighting a smirk.

Erica clapped her hands excitedly, a wicked smirk on her face. Isaac simply smiled, looking genuinely happy for them. “I knew you two had gone from super UST to a lot more relaxed for a reason.”

“Scott?” Stiles said tentatively. Derek brought up one hand to squeeze his neck reassuringly. Scott watched as Stiles lifted his own and Derek looked like he expected to be pushed off but instead Stiles pulled it down so he could hold it loosely over his shoulder. “Scott. Derek wanted to be upfront about it... about us... I was the one who freaked because I was scared of your reaction.” he admitted. “And I still am. So please.... React?”

“I...” Scott let out in a gasp. Derek pulled his hand free, squeezing Stiles' shoulder before he took it back. “I don't know Stiles, are you sure?” his best friend was asking. “I mean...” Scott glanced between Stiles and Derek. “I shouldn't be asking you that with Derek here, but... You're not doing it for the pack, right?”

“Oh! Dude, no!” Stiles felt the urge to hug his friend. Scott might have been the cause of his embarrassment today, and be thick at his best, but he always had the best intentions at heart. “The mate bond magic thing idea came later. No, no... It's just... It's _Derek_ , y'know.”

Scott did know. Derek was probably wondering what that meant, but Scott knew. Between him and Stiles, it had always been explained, and unexplainable like that. 'It's _Lydia_ , y'know.', 'It's _Allison._ Y'know?'...

Stiles saw the ghost of a smile on his friend's face. Yeah, he knew. “I love him.” Derek made a noise next to him, and Stiles tried to play it cool, despite his heartbeat probably informing everyone present that it was his first time fessing up. “Dude, you're my wife. I think we're past being skirmish about the big L word in public.”

“Laundry?” Isaac pipped up, eyes twinkling. Scott chuckled.

“I am not your-...” Stiles' laugh at Derek's pinched expression turned into a pained plaintive sound.

Derek twitched. “Stiles.” he gritted out, while Isaac hovered worriedly.

“Yeah!” Stiles let out in a squeak, squeezing his eyes shut against the burn. “I feel it.” He groaned, bending over on himself, hissing. “Shit, this is worse than last time.”

He felt the familiar touch of Derek's hands on his hips, guiding him backwards and followed, trusting. He tripped over his own feet, stumbled, but he didn't fall. Derek eased him down on the couch, curling against his back, his posture a mix between an attempt at comfort and protection and his own reaction to the pain. Eyes still shut against the pain, shaking from it, Stiles could still tell by the way Derek's breathing was halted and shallow that he wasn't the only one in pain. He could also feel, hear the others panicking around them.

“S'okay!” he managed to gasp once, as Derek pulled him back, forcing him to unfold and lie back against his chest.

Stiles grimaced, feeling Derek's fingertips at his hairline, smoothing the strands backwards gently, while his other hand wrapped around his wrist. He followed Derek's lead as the werewolf pressed his head against his, inhaling deeply and slowly. “You're okay. Breathe. You're fine.” Derek whispered soothingly, lips brushing his hairline.

Scott stared at the black lines disappearing up Derek's hand, at the way Stiles melted in his arms with a faint moan, breathing returning to normal, at the way Derek's fingers kept tracing his hair backwards even after Stiles opened his eyes, clear and alert, repeating that he was okay. “I'm good. Not ready to stand yet, but I'm good.” he said, squeezing Derek's hand briefly as the older man let go of his wrist.

Scott watched Derek's fingers, aware of the alpha's eyes on him. “That's how your mom used to-...” Scott started telling Stiles, then cut himself off, looking back to Derek.

“He knows.” Stiles smiled softly at his best friend, then even softer to himself. Derek's lips twitched as he finished with a few scratches to the nape of Stiles neck, helping him sit up properly.

“What the fuck happened?!” Isaac yelped, staring at the couple on the couch. Isaac was the most sensitive to everybody's pain, but the idea of losing Derek was likely simply unbearable to him.

Stiles lifted his shirt to take a look. He at least had expected his skin to be angry and red around the mark after such searing pain. Instead, the brown outlines were now filled, the mate bond brand completed.

“So... Apparently the last step to completion was... telling the pack.” Stiles mused, vaguely giddy. He wasn't a failure. He had a mate. He'd have to do a little dance when the realization truly hit him later. For now, he settled for smiling like a lunatic.

“We probably should have known.” Derek remarked.

“Maybe it should have come first.” Stiles admitted, turning to Scott, then to Derek. “Forgive me? Both of you?”

“Ahem.” Erica made a face at him.

“You guys too, but... Isaac gets it. Boyd doesn't actually care. And you... you just scare me. Sorry. Mates and bffs first.”

“Fine.” she huffed, but she was grinning.

“Mates.” Derek echoed softly, a satisfied grin on his face as he pressed a kiss to Stiles' temple.

“Yeah, okay. Okay!” Scott exclaimed and when Derek looked at him, he held out a hand. “Can I have him for a second? I need to give this guy a punishing hug.”

Derek smiled, letting his hand fall from Stiles' waist. “Don't bruise him.”

“Bastard thinks it's his prerogative.” Stiles muttered, reaching for Scott.

“Kinda is.” Scott shot back, backed up with nods from the others.

“Well, it's not fair!” Stiles cried out. “I'm fine with it, but I can't mark him back cause you guys have... freaking superpowers.”

“Ahem.” Derek made a show of scratching at his mate brand. Which, fine, was a mark.

“I meant _otherwise_. When and where I want.” He shrugged and let it go. “Anyway...”

Scott clapped his shoulders and laughed. “Dude! I always figured I'd be married before you!”

Stiles poked his ribs. “Why? Because you're such a hot commodity?”

“No, because I'm such a love sap.” Stiles laughed. He had indeed called his best friend that a lot over the years.

Erica grinned and tugged them both closer. Derek watched, amused, as the living room of the pack house became the host of a gigantic group hug. He stayed aside, a fond smile on his face, until a hand snaked out from between bodies and beckoned him. “Oh, hell...”

Later that night, when the missing members of the pack arrived, Jackson took in the sight of Stiles running his hand through Derek's hair absently as the alpha focused on teaching Erica a lesson in Mortal Combat, 90's style, and yelled, “I knew it!” startling both Lydia and Danny,

“You did?!”

“Come _on_ , those two have had that 'I just got laid' look to them for _months_ now. Derek even smells different!”

@@@

Stiles hummed quietly, brushing his nose back and forth in the soft hairs behind Derek's ear. He kept stroking Derek's back lazily, eyes closed, breathing in the smell of Derek's shampoo, of _him_ just under it, of their sweat mixing together in the air.

The worshipingly slow path of Derek's lips up his neck edged on ticklish, making Stiles sigh and shiver.

“Why do you think I don't smell different?”

“I don't know." Derek admitted, pulling away – and depriving Stiles of his silky nuzzle pillow – to gaze down at him. "Isaac and I agree that it seems like I've taken hints of your scent. I carry you with me all the time. It's nice. Maybe it's because you couldn't smell the change in yourself? It's probably because you're not a wolf.”

“Hm.” Stiles made a soft noise, letting his eyes flutter shut as Derek caressed his face. He smiled, somehow knowing when Derek leaned down to kiss him briefly.

“Or maybe you were already complete before.” The alpha said quietly against his lips.

Stiles blinked up, reading in Derek's eyes and in his tone everything he wasn't saying aloud. He smiled, touched, and lifted his head to press their lips together once more. His heart thumping louder told the werewolf he understood.

Derek went back to tracing Stiles' features with his fingertips, falling over his jaw, slipping down his neck, raising goosebumps over his collarbone. He lingered over the faint bite mark he'd left on Stiles' chest moments earlier. "I didn't know you wanted to mark me."

Stiles looked down at himself. "Why? I like yours."

"You do?" Derek seemed genuinely surprised. "I thought they were just... traces. Aftermath."

"Yes." Stiles said, as in ' _exactly_ '.

"Oh." Derek brushed his thumb over the bruises on the pale skin of Stiles' neck. The human watched, mesmerized, as the sight suddenly seemed to make the wolf's eyes darken. " _Oh_." Derek breathed. "I never... They made me feel guilty."

"I figured they made you feel all manly and possessive and alpha-y."

"That too." Derek admitted. "Thus guiltier."

"Oh, shush. They're called love bites for a reason." He cupped Derek's neck, his hand slipping down over his chest. He flattened his palm over the wolf's steady heartbeat, spreading his fingers to let... _bruises – ?! –_ peek through. "Why aren't those going away?"

Derek gave a bashful shrug. "I didn't know you wanted them to stay before."

Stiles bit his lip, then framed Derek's face between in his hands and grinned. “This mate thing is gonna be so awesome.”

  



End file.
